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VIRTUS
is the brand name for programs designed
to help prevent wrongdoing and promote
"rightdoing" within religious organizations.
The VIRTUS programs empower organizations
and people to better control risk and
improve the lives of all those who interact
with the Church.
Who
Created the VIRTUS Programs?
The
Protecting God's Children Program
Why
Does It Work?
Training
Adults to Protect Children
Register
for VIRTUS Training
Who
Created the VIRTUS Programs?
The
National Catholic Risk Retention Group,
Inc. (National Catholic) created the
programs. Monsignor Kevin McCoy, past
board chairman of National Catholic,
asked whether child sexual abuse could
be prevented and, if so, how?
In
March of 1998, National Catholic invited
prominent national experts—experts in
many disciplines—to discuss these questions
at a forum in Washington, D.C. From
those discussions, the initiative for
the VIRTUS programs was created. The
National Catholic Board of Directors
selected an Ad Hoc Committee to oversee
development of the programs. The Ad
Hoc Committee was assisted by a steering
committee of nationally known experts
and program and service providers.
Child
sexual abuse is a worldwide public health
issue. Child abuse, particularly child
sexual abuse, is reprehensible—especially
when the wrongdoer is affiliated with
the Church. The VIRTUS® programs assist
the Church in being a safe haven for
children and a messenger for preventing
child sexual abuse within the Church
and society in general. We seek to achieve
this lofty goal through our child sexual
abuse prevention
program: Protecting God's Children®.
The
Protecting God's Children Program
Most organizations
that work with children have some sort
of child safety program. Through the
Protecting God’s Children program, we
maximize those efforts by helping churches
and religious organizations refine their
roles as child-safe environments and
empowering caring
adults to protect children.
Why
Does It Work?
Child
abusers seek to operate and abuse their
power within nurturing, child-friendly
environments where it is assumed that
nobody would want to harm a child. Religious
organizations of all faiths are an easy
target.
The
Protecting God's Children program implements
safety mechanisms that send a message
to all abusers and potential abusers:
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Child abuse is not tolerated;
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Children are vigilantly protected;
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Victims are listened to, heard,
and shielded from further abuse;
and
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Offenders are identified and punished.
By
utilizing best practices for training
and loss prevention, the Protecting
God's Children program helps make churches
safe for all people—especially children.
Training
Adults to Protect Children
We begin by making
adults of the Church that interact with
children aware of how to protect children.
Our Protecting God’s Children program
for adults is a three-hour live awareness
session instructing adults of the Church
that to protect children you must have
continuous awareness and vigilance.
This awareness session makes trainees
understand the signs of child sexual
abuse, the methods and means by which
offenders commit abuse, and five empowerment
steps one can use to prevent child sexual
abuse. Continuing online training is
a valuable component of the Protecting
God’s Children program for the continued
awareness of child abuse. To
read more about it, click here.
Register
for Virtus Training
VIRTUS
training is mandatory for all staff
and volunteers at St. Peter's and all
diocesan parishes. This includes all
liturgical ministers (including choir
members), Faith Formation teachers and
assistants, and those working with our
youth. Do you need to register for VIRTUS
training? Click here
to see upcoming sessions and to register
on-line.
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